Cosplay: The Black and The Bold

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Cosplay: The Black and The Bold

Ian Mitchell

Just like those sports fans that wear their favorite players’ jerseys to show support or when the
“fashion-forward” dress to impress, cosplaying can be a fun and empowering
practice. For those of you who've missed out on this phenomenon, cosplay is
the act and experience of getting decked out as your favorite characters (from whatever media you
choose) just for the hell of it. Cosplay is an all-inclusive activity accessible for every age, shape, size, race,
and nationality.
To some of you this might sound crazy, but believe it or not, Black people can
cosplay too. The time of white-washed fandoms has passed and it’s our turn to step up. We have black
super heroes, black wizards, black detectives, black explorers, and so much more. With media flooding us with characters of every form imaginable, it’s our responsibility to
show the public that we can represent. And it's fun.

How to Cosplay:

Start off by attending an entertainment expo or convention near you. (If you live in or near a
major city you’re probably going to get a chance to do this two to five times a year.) Expos
and cons are filled with cosplayers and cosplay designers. Start a discussion and be
enlightened.

Find a character that inspires you or one that you feel like you’d want to give your own
interpretation of. It can be anything you want. Just go for it.

Figure out how you’re going to get your costume. For those who have a gift for some tailoring,
you can make your own. And for those of you (like myself) with some artistic handicaps, there
are plenty of cosplay sites for whatever your budget is. Can’t find what you need? Check out
any generic costume store, they might have what you’re looking for.

How to cosplay, while Black:

Literally do everything stated above. Cosplay has no limitations. If the character you want to
cosplay is not black or doesn't represent your demographic? So, what? Cosplay
away. No one is going to judge you. As long as you’re not trying to be a black Hitler or wear
spandex irresponsibly.

Black identity is evolving and that gives us the opportunity to redefine who we are and who we'd like to be. Cosplay is one of many outlets we can use to explore the time we are living in and creating. I hope I've convinced you to go out, get a costume, and show the world what kind of fan
you are. Whatever the case, if you
don’t do it you'll never know what you've been missing.